(PEORIA) Representative Aaron Schock responded to opponent Jim McConoughey’s criticism of Schock’s recent comprehensive proposal to seek ways of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, by pointing out that there are three alternatives:
1. Seek new ways of pressuring China and Russia to heed their UN Security Council responsibilities by voting for the third set of United Nations sanctions on Iran. Sanctions that nearly all foreign policy analysts believe would force the Iranian regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions, or fall from power because of the economic collapse the powerful sanctions would cause inside Iran.
2. Do nothing and allow Iran to continue to flout the will of the International Community by continuing its unrelenting drive to acquire nuclear weapons. Without the third set of international sanctions, Iran will continue to be in a position to have nuclear weapons within a year and become a nuclear terrorist nation.”
3. Go to war with Iran.
“I favor the first option, which is the only option that will resolve the Iranian threat diplomatically and peacefully,” said Schock.
“Iran is a regime that has used every weapon it has ever acquired,” said Schock. “I do not intend to go to Congress and sit idly by while Iran gets nuclear weapons. This is a grave threat to our country and it requires tough diplomatic strategy to resolve peacefully without an invasion or war.”
“It is unacceptable to stand by while our nation is put in a position where the only option to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons is to go to war,” said Schock.
Schock continued, “The fulcrum here is China. We need to introduce new diplomatic prods to China to get them to do what is right. The Chinese are hard to move diplomatically. The one thing that gets their attention is Taiwan. We must have China’s support to enact the sanctions which will end this crisis and it is naïve to think otherwise. The Chinese need to know how seriously we consider the threat of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. I do not want to sell nuclear weapons to Taiwan, I want China’s cooperation in dealing with Iran.”
The first step in the diplomatic dance that is necessary to prevent Iran getting nuclear weapons is to strengthen our President’s hand in negotiations. My comprehensive proposal on the Iranian threat will undermine the Iranian regime by their own people and get China’s attention to become a partner in stopping this threat from Iran.”
“While I have offered innovative ideas based completely on President Reagan’s successful strategy to end the Cold War, my opponents are operating cynical campaigns of being quick to attack while offering no substance on the issues what-so-ever themselves,” said Schock. “The people are tired of cynical candidates who run for office while avoiding dealing with our nation’s challenges while problems get worse. Our country needs leaders who are willing to address problems instead of waiting until they become a crisis.”
In his news conference today, McConoughey made a stunningly naïve comment when he said it’s not for Congress to play a role in developing foreign policy. If he really believes that maybe he intends to abolish the House International Relations Committee. America’s Constitutional Founders certainly envisioned a role for Congress in working with the President and sometimes Presidents have successfully used tough Congressional proposals as diplomatic weapons to effectively negotiate with adversaries.
The only thing on foreign policy that McConoughey has offered so far in this campaign is to advocate pulling our troops out of Iraq and placing them in Kuwait and Qatar. That is hypocritical considering his comments today that it is not for Congress to play a role in foreign policy. It is also naïve in that it assumes these countries would be willing to host American troops right after America cut and ran in Iraq.
McConoughey is now on record as being soft on Iraq, Iran and China. He is running in the wrong primary.
ArchPundit